Overview
If you are a federal employee who has been recently separated from your employment, NYSDOL is here to help.
You may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance. This page outlines what you need to know, including the process for applying and other information pertinent to federal workers.
And remember, here in New York we say "You're Hired!" Learn More About NYS Jobs For Federal WorkersYou can also sign up for one of our weekly webinars designed to assist those recently impacted by the federal workforce reductions. These webinars will include resume development, how to file for unemployment insurance, interview preparation, how to find a job with New York State, upcoming career fairs, and more.
Please note: This content is specific to federal workers only. If you were not a federal government employee, please visit our general eligibility page.
Am I Eligible?
Here's what you need to know
To be eligible for Unemployment Insurance in New York, you must:
- Have lost employment through no fault of your own
- Have enough prior earnings from employment to establish a claim – more information about this is available here: What are the earnings required to qualify for benefits?
- Be ready, willing, and able to work immediately
- Be actively seeking work
- Keep a written record of your work search activities for each week you claim benefits or use the work search tool located at JobZone
- Attend required appointments at your local Career Center.
Please note, if you are eligible for benefits, you may not collect them for any period of time that you are outside of the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada.
Reason for Job Loss
The UI application requires that you provide a reason for your job loss.
When filing an unemployment assistance claim as a federal employee:
- Select "Lack of Work" if your position was eliminated due to a reorganization.
- Select "Discharge – Job Performance" if your dismissal notice cites performance as the reason for separation.
Under New York law, a classification of poor job performance alone does not automatically disqualify someone from benefits.
Can I Expedite My Claim?
To expedite your claim, be ready to submit any pay information or forms you may have received from your employer when you apply.
This information includes:
- Your 2024 W-2 form
- All available pay stubs you have received from your employer in the past 15 months
- SF-50 and SF-8 forms
While you may not have all this information, please provide as much as you can to help us expedite your claim.
Once you have filed your claim, please submit these documents using the Secure Messaging feature on your NY.GOV account.
You can also submit via fax to 1-518-457-9492 or by mail to:
New York State Department of Labor, P.O. Box 15130, Albany, NY 12212-5130
What's Next?
Once your claim has been completed, you will need to certify for benefits for each week you are unemployed. Learn more about the certification process.
You can certify for benefits Sunday through Saturday by visiting www.labor.ny.gov/signin
- Use your ny.gov ID and password
- Click on the “Unemployment Services” button on the My Online Services Page
- Click on the “certify to claim your weekly Benefits here” button and follow the instructions to certify weekly.
Or, you can certify weekly by calling 1-888-581-5812.
FAQs
| Am I eligible for Unemployment Insurance? | You may be eligible to receive Unemployment Insurance benefits. If you believe you may be eligible, you should file a claim. New York State Department of Labor representatives will determine if you are eligible and notify you. You should promptly file a claim in the first week you are not working. |
| In what state should I file for Unemployment Insurance? | Generally, you should file for Unemployment insurance in the state where your last duty station was. This can be found on your most recent “SF50” notice of personnel action. |
| How do I file? | The quickest and most convenient way to file is online. File for Benefits You may also call: 1-888-209-8124. Translation services are available. |
| What information will I have to provide about my employment to file a claim? | You will need to provide your employer’s agency name, component name, work location, dates of employment, proof of employment. You may need to verify your identity through ID.ME after completing your claim. More information on ID.ME. |
| What documents do I need to submit for proof of earnings? | You will need to submit quarterly paystubs (these are the paystubs with the LAST PAY DATE in each quarter; quarters end in March, June, September and December) and your most recent W-2(s). |
| Are my wages automatically reported to the state I am filing in? | Federal employment is not automatically reported to any state for Unemployment Insurance purposes. Once you file your claim for benefits, NYSDOL will make a request to the agency that you separated from. This request will ask the agency to report your wages and the reason for separation. Because your federal employment is not automatically reported, you may receive an initial notice that says you have a $0.00 benefit rate and that you did not earn enough money for a claim. However, once NYSDOL receives your wages from the agency you worked at or process the documents you submitted, you will receive a new notice with an updated benefit rate. |
| When will benefits begin? | New York State law requires claimants to have an unpaid “waiting week.” This means you need to be out of work for one week before you can collect benefits, but you should still file as soon as you stop working. After the waiting week, you will be eligible to collect benefits. You will need to certify about your unemployment weekly in order to continue receiving benefits. |
| What about the Federal deferred Resignation Offer? | Federal employees were recently given the option to resign and receive pay until Sept. 30, 2025. If you accepted this offer, NYSDOL may consider you employed until this date. If you accepted the deferred resignation, you may also need to show that you attempted to keep your job. If you are not sure if you are eligible, apply anyway. Each situation is unique, and experts will review each claim to determine eligibility. |
| What about the federal return-to-office requirement? | If you lost your job because you would not or could not meet the return to office requirement, you may be eligible for benefits. Further, you may be eligible if you were hired to be a full-time remote employee.
If you are not sure if you are eligible, apply anyway. Each situation is unique, and experts will review each claim to determine eligibility. |
| What if I am a contractor with the Federal Government? | If you are an independent contractor, you may not be eligible to receive benefits. If you receive a Form 1099 reporting your earnings, you are likely to be an independent contractor. If you receive a W-2 from the federal government reporting your earnings, you are likely to be a federal employee. However, there are exceptions. If you are not sure, apply for benefits. Each situation is unique, and experts will review each claim to determine eligibility. |
I Need More Help
For more information, refer to the New York state Unemployment Claimant Guides: What to do if you’ve Become Unemployed in New York.
For financial help or other assistance, visit MyBenefits.ny.gov or contact your local Social Services office.